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Say's Phoebe

Sayornis sayaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

Say's Phoebe Portrait
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General

Say's Phoebe: Medium-sized, active flycatcher with gray-brown upperparts and head, paler gray throat and upper breast, and pale rufous belly and undertail coverts. Wings and tail are dark gray. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is browner with pale wing-bars.

Range and Habitat

Say's Phoebe: Breeds from central Alaska, Yukon, and northern Mackenzie south through western mountains to Mexico. Spends winters in California and western Oregon. Frequents open areas such as prairies, tundra, farmlands, and playing fields.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"pidiweew", "pidireep", "pdeer", "tueeee"

Interesting Facts

 The Say's Phoebe breeds farther north than any other flycatcher, seemingly limited only by the lack of nest sites.

 The numbers of this bird are declining, probably due to loss of habitat in its winter range.

 This bird was named for Thomas Say, the American naturalist.

 A group of flycatchers has many collective nouns, including an "outfield", "swatting", "zapper", and "zipper" of flycatchers.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Say's Phoebe
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Flycatcher (Tyrannidae)_blue
Species Sayornis saya
Length7 - 8 Inches
Wingspan12.5 Inches

Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe: Medium-sized, active flycatcher with gray-brown upperparts and head, paler gray throat and upper breast, and pale rufous belly and undertail coverts. The wings and tail are dark gray. Feeds primarily on insects. Weak fluttering flight with shallow wing beats. Hawks from perch, hovers.

● Song: "pidiweew", "pidireep", "pdeer", "tueeee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Say's Phoebe: Feeds on insects but also eats berries. Flies from perch to catch insects; also hovers above grass when hunting.

● Breeding & nesting: Say's Phoebe: Three to seven white eggs, sometimes brown or red spotted, are laid in a nest made of grass and wool and built in a sheltered, elevated, dry site on a ledge, rock wall, or building. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female. Usually raises one to two, but sometimes three broods per year.

● Similar species: Say's Phoebe: Eastern Phoebe has darker head and whiter underparts.

Flight Pattern

Buoyant fluttering flight with shallow wing beats., Hovers, dips for prey.
Say's Phoebe Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Say's Phoebe: Breeds from central Alaska, Yukon, and northern Mackenzie south through western mountains to Mexico. Spends winters in California and western Oregon. Frequents open areas such as prairies, tundra, farmlands, and playing fields.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationFairly common, Stable
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.7 Ounces